Dylan Wills takes over at quarterback for a New Egypt High School football team that is welcoming back most of its starting lineup from 2009, when the Warriors were 2-8.
New Egypt will open the 2010 season on Sept. 10 at Maple Shade in a 7 p.m. contest.
“Things are going pretty good, better than last year,” said Wills. “We will achieve more goals and surprise people outside of town. We’ll give it our all and get more people to come to the games.”
Wills directs a triple option offense being fine-tuned by second-year coach Luke Sinkhorn.
The coach has replaced four starters on offense and four starters on defense.
“It’s gone well, but one thing you have to fight with a Group I school is [a lack of] depth,” said Sinkhorn. “You have 15 guys and then the depth drops off. A guy has a spot, and nobody is pushing each guy to be progressing.”
Wills, one of the Warriors’ three captains along with two-way lineman Lyle German and offensive lineman/linebacker Rigo Morfin, was injured in the middle of the 2009 season.
Sinkhorn said Wills, who will also start for New Egypt on defense at safety, “provides leadership and runs the offense well.”
He will hand the ball off to returning starting halfback Jamel Smith, a junior, and junior fullback Tyler Miller, and he has a reliable pass receiver in senior Pascal Dieujuste, who was one of the best receivers in the Colonial Valley Conference Freedom Division last season.
Smith will handle the punting duties for the Warriors.
The running backs will get blocking from Morfin and German, as well as Shawn Reynolds, another returning starter at tackle who moves from the left to right side of the offensive line.
“We had a great offseason in the weight room that included most of the guys from last year,” said German. “That always helps.”
German said the weight room workouts have helped the team “get a lot bigger from last year” and the experience on the line and overall will help.
“Last year was a learning year, but this year we have a lot of chemistry. I think we’ll be a better team,” he said.
“We had lacked that work in the weight room in the past, but we picked it up,” Sinkhorn added.
Playing a full 48 minutes in games is one of the team’s goals.
“Last season we did not finish games. We have to play a full game,” said Morfin.
The Warriors’ inability to finish off an opponent was most evident in a 22-19 loss to CamdenWilson when New Egypt squandered a 19-8 lead midway through the final quarter. A lack of depth again took its toll.
“The triple option takes a lot of practice,” said Sinkhorn. “The guy running it takes a lot of hits. We want to make it more explosive and make Jamel more of a threat. We want to be a little more aggressive, definitely on offense.”
Transfer student Aaron Reed, a senior and the biggest starter at 6-1, 215 pounds, looks to start on the defensive line with German and returning starter Joe Puza, a junior who also is on the wrestling team.
Joining Morfin at linebacker in the 4-3 defense is junior Tyler Ditrich and sophomore Kevin Mason, who is also a backup fullback.
Dylan Horner, a junior who is the Warriors’ place-kicker, starts at cornerback with Smith. Junior Ken Masse starts at safety with Wills.
“The defense is going good. Our main goal this year is stopping the run,” said Sinkhorn.
The coach welcomes three assistants back on the staff in Matt Kukoda, who oversees wide receivers and defensive backs; Bob Mussari, who coaches offensive linemen and linebackers; and Ulrich Morfin, who works with offensive linemen and wide receivers. New to the staff is Mike Burch, who has the running backs and defensive backs; and Dennis Mallon, who works with linemen on both sides of the ball.